NEW YORK -- J.A. Happ tried as best he could to avoid the rumors that marred his final weeks in a Blue Jays uniform. Despite his best efforts, that proved to be almost impossible.
Text messages from friends, interview requests from both sides of the border, people seeing him out in the community, there were reminders everywhere. Even for a guy who tried to isolate himself from the outside baseball world was presented with the reality of his situation on a daily basis. He couldn't avoid it.
That's why, more than any other reason, Happ could not help but feel a sense of relief when the Blue Jays finally traded him to the Yankees on July 26 for infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney.